Contents

About the course

The Bracknell Forest Partnership teacher training programme gives you the opportunity to experience life in a school whilst working towards gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education.

The programme is a one-year school based full-time route into teaching that, alongside classroom teaching, includes lesson observation, training within a host and second school; partnership based training days and time spent at the University of Reading.

With Bracknell Forest schools you will have the opportunity to experience teaching all age and ability groups. Our schools have very good facilities and access to technology, including interactive whiteboards,

At your host school you will be assigned a learning mentor, a qualified, experienced teacher who will work alongside you and support your professional development. You will meet with them at regular intervals throughout the year to review your individual training plan and to set professional development targets. Being based in the school you are surrounded by experts and there is always someone to ask for help advice or just to discuss your learning. You can also network with previous years trainees.

One morning a week will be spent on professional studies, where experts from across the partnership schools will offer you an insight into particular topics that will help you as a teacher, either developing your own skills, or enabling you to better understand the needs of your pupils. Training will either take place internally or you will train with all School Direct trainees in one of the other partnership schools.

As a qualified teacher, in your first year you will have the opportunity to partake in a structured Induction Programme to enable you to consolidate your learning and take your teaching to a new level you can also elect to complete a Post Graduate Certificate in Education.

Computing is a very popular subject across the Bracknell Forest partnership. If you would like to join our dynamic and innovative teams, we look forward receiving your application.

Interview process

Once we receive your application, we will undertake a short listing process. For practical reasons we cannot interview everyone so please ensure your application tells us all the relevant skills, knowledge and experience you have to offer.

The ability to relate to and motivate young people is essential, and successful applicants will be those who will work well as part of a team, who are able to reflect on their own learning, be highly organised with good personal communication skills and keen to play a part in the wider life of the school.

The strongest candidates will be invited to an interview, at one of the partnership schools. Here you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your rapport with young people, subject knowledge and other professional skills, through a variety of recruitment activities, including:

• A tour of the school

• A written test

• Presentation and discussion with a group of students

• Formal Interview

The University of Reading will also be involved with the selection process to ensure applicants can meet the academic requirements of the course.

How school placements work

Our partnership schools include:

The Brakenhale School RG12 7BA

Charters School SL5 9QY

Easthampstead Park Community School RG12 8FS

Edgbarrow School RG45 7HZ

Garth Hill College RG12 2AD

Ranelagh CE School RG12 9DA

Sandhurst School GU47 0SD

Successful applicants will be allocated to schools after interview, so we can best match trainees to schools. Geographical preference will be taken into account where possible.

School Direct is a personalised route to qualified teacher status and your initial teaching responsibilities will be influenced by prior experience, however you can be sure you will have a structured introduction into teaching and can expect to build up your teaching gradually.

During the first half of the autumn term you will observe lessons, work with small groups and teach with another teacher in your subject, using their lesson plans. Gradually as the term goes on you will have the chance to develop your own lesson plans and will take on more teaching with the focus being on shared teaching. In the first half of the term you will spend two days a week at the University, building knowledge relating to teaching your subject area.

In the Spring term you will spend two separate weeks at the university in January and February. After the first week you will start a second school placement in another school in the partnership. The focus moves to guided teaching and you will work towards teaching 50% of the week.

After the Easter break leading up to the summer half term (May) you will have an extended period of teaching, during which you should expect to become increasingly independent in taking responsibility for teaching and learning. For your final half term of training, if you have already demonstrated that you are meeting the requirements of the Teaching Standards, you will have the opportunity to gain additional experience beyond your normal teaching timetable.

Fees

The course fees for 2019/2020 are as follows:

Student type

Fees to pay

UK students

£9,250

EU students

£9,250

International students

£15,650

Financial support

You could be eligible for either:

a scholarship of £28,000

a bursary of £26,000

To qualify for a scholarship you’ll need a degree of 2:1 or above in Computing or a related subject. For a bursary you’ll need a 2:2 or above in any subject.

You can’t claim both a bursary and a scholarship - you can only claim one.

Requirements

Qualifications

You are required to hold a UK honours degree or equivalent before commencing teacher training. You may still be completing your degree when you apply.

Your degree should be in, or closely related to, your proposed teaching subject. If your degree is not in the subject you wish to teach, please contact us at teacher.recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk to discuss the qualifications/knowledge required to teach this subject.

You will also need to have achieved Grade 4 (or C) or above in GCSE Mathematics and English or equivalent.

Please note: International qualifications require NARIC certification. We will request this before considering you for interview.

Personal qualities

We are looking for potential teachers with a passion for their subject, a desire to immerse themselves in the school community and to take responsibility for their professional growth and development.

The ability to relate to and motivate young people is essential. Their enthusiasm and depth of knowledge for their subject should be apparent as should their keenness to share this with pupils.

We are looking for highly motivated, enthusiastic individuals, who set their own high standards, work well as part of a team, are able to reflect on their own learning and set appropriate targets for their own development.

Other requirements

Before you commence training you will need to:

pass the Professional skills tests both in literacy and numeracy.

receive a satisfactory medical report and meet the standards for 'Fitness to Teach'

Support and advice

Get support and advice about teaching

Register with Get into Teaching, the Department for Education’s free support and advice service, for personalised guidance from teaching experts. They can help you to prepare your application, book school experience, and access exclusive teaching events. You can also call them free on 0800 389 2500, or speak to an adviser using their online chat service, from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.

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